MMALatestNews’ Top 50 Fighters Not Signed by the UFC (May ’15)

MMALatestNews’ Top 50 Fighters Not Signed by the UFC (May ’15)

While there is no argument that the UFC is home to the majority of the top talent Mixed Martial Arts has to offer, there are many extremely skilled and talented fighters who are fighting under promotions that maybe aren’t quite as popular as the Ultimate Fighting Championship. To give these men and women some recognition for their accomplishments I have extended my list of top fighters not in the UFC from 25, to 50 in order to make up for the unlimited pool of talent among up and coming Mixed Martial Artists.

These rankings get updated on a monthly basis. Movement in the rankings is based on results of the previous months fights, as well as signings by the UFC.

The only two criteria I use to make these rankings are; 1) The fighter has not previously fought professionally under the UFC/PRIDE, and 2) The fighter has competed at least 4 times as a professional.

Legend NR = Not Ranked Last Month – = No Movement in Rankings since Last Month +X = Moved up in Rankings since Last Month -X = Moved down in Rankings since Month

20) Jessica Aguilar 19-4 (+1) Previous Fight: Win (UD) vs. Kalindra Faria at WSOF 15, November 15th 2014 Next Fight: Not Scheduled. The women’s 115 pound WSOF champion, Jessica Aguilar, could one of the top prospects in the seemingly wide open atom weight division if she ends up finding herself on the UFC’s roster. She is on an 11 fight win streak which includes a split decision victory over the former UFC 115 lbs champ Carla Esparza

19) Brandon Halsey 9-0 (NR) Previous Fight: Win (TKO) vs. Kendall Grove at Bellator 137, May 15th 2015 Next Fight: Not Announced With his last two wins coming against former UFC fighter Kendall Grove and former Bellator champ Alexander Shlmenko, Halsley has been propelled into the top 20 after not being ranking last month. He was unfortunately stripped of his title as he failed to make weight, but lets hope he gets that problem fixed ASAP.

18) Patricio Freire 23-2 (-) Previous Fight: W (SUB) vs. Daniel Straus at Bellator 132, January 16th, 2015 Next Fight: vs. Daniel Weichel at Bellator 138, June 19th 2015 Bellators featherweight champ (23-2) could be a nice addition to the already electrifying 145 lbs roster of the UFC. Freire is the winner of 6 straight in which he finished 4 of his opponents inside the distance (1 SUB, 3 KO/TKO). He won his last fight in exciting fashion vs. Daniel Straus at Bellator 132.

17) Pannie Kianzad 7-0 (-) Previous Fight: Win (UD) vs. Eeva Silskonen at CWFC 74, November 15th, 2014 Next Fight: Not Announced The MMA world is searching for the woman who can potentially take down their bantamweight queen, Ronda Rousey, and Swedish fighter Pannie Kianzad may just be that woman. Kianzad is the former Cage Warriors bantamweight champion, and with an undefeated 7-0 record with 3 TKO/KO finishes to go a long with it, she is looking to be one of the top female European prospects. Since last months rankings were published she has been signed by Invicta FC.

16) Krasimir “The Wrestler” Mladenov 12-0 (-) Previous Fight: Win (UD) vs. Brendan Kornberger at WSOF 17, January 17th 2015. Next Fight: Unannounced This undefeated (13-0) Bulgarian fighter, who is currently signed with the WSOF, is an impressive grappler who has won every fight in dominate fashion. His last win came in January of this year at WSOF 17 where he picked up a unanimous decision victory over Brendan Kornberger.

15) Henry Corrales 12-0 (-) Previous Fight: W (KO) vs. Aaron Neveu at KOTC – Coming Home, March 15th 2015 Next Fight: vs. Daniel Straus at Bellator 138, June 19th 2015. Corrales is undefeated and currently the King of the Cage featherweight champion with ten of his wins coming inside the distance. He has climbed the list since last month, as he got another KO added to his resume when he finished Alex Neveu on March 15th. I predict he won’t be on this list much longer; the UFC will pick him up soon.

14) Igor Svirid 11-1 (-) Previous Fight: Win (TKO) vs. Leandro Ataides at ONE FC 22 – Battle of Lions, November 7th, 2014 Next Fight: Not Announced Since losing his first professional bout, Svirid (10-1) has been on a 10 fight tear and is only hitting his peak now. The 28 year old from Kazakhstan is currently the ONE Championship Middleweight champion. His fight to claim the ONE crown back in November of last year lastest a total of 17 seconds as he defeated Leandro Ataides by TKO.

13) Alex Reyes 11-2 (-) Previous Fight: Win (SUB) vs. Joshua Aveles at KOTC – Coming Home, March 15th, 2015 Next Fight: Not Announced While Reyes may not be facing the highest level of competition, this King of the Cage fighter is on a 11 fight win streak. He made a 3 spot jump in this list by getting yet another finish on March 15th against Joshua Aveles. Look for him to be signed by a larger promotion in the near future.

12) Alexa Grasso 7-0 (-) Previous Fight: Win (UD) vs. Mizuki Inoue at Invicta FC 11 – Cyborg vs. Tweet, Febuary 27th, 2015 Next Fight: Not Announced This young and talented mixed martial artist may be the brightest potential star for the UFC as she displayed her skill as well as her marketability in her latest win at Invicta FC 11. The 21 year old is undefeated, boasting an impressive 7-0 record that includes 4 first round KO/TKO finishes, all of which came in the first two minutes of the fight.

11) Marat Gafurov 10-0 (-) Previous Fight: Win (SUB) vs. Rob Lisita at ONE FC 21 – Roar of Tigers, October 17th, 2014 Next Fight: vs. Ev Ting (9-2) on May 22, 2015 at ONE Championship 28 This Russian ONE Championship fighter is undefeated (10-0) and has 5 impressive first round finishes, all SUBs, under his belt already in his young career. Look for this impressive submission artist to continue his streak all the way to the top of Asias premier fight promotion.

10) Douglas “The Phenom” Lima 26-5 (-) Previous Fight: Win (TKO) vs. Rick Hawn at Bellator 117, April 18th, 2014 Next Fight: vs. Andrey Koreshkov at Bellator 140, July 17th 2015 This veteran fighter (26-5) may have competed in 31 fights with none of them under the UFC, but he has had impressive victories over guys currently on the UFC’s roster. His only loss in his last 15 fights comes to a name we will see later on in this list, Ben Askren. The longtime Bellator Welterweight Champ has wins over UFC names like Ben Saunders (twice), and Clint Hester. His high finish rate (12 KO/TKO’s, 11 SUB’s) keeps his name among MMA’s best.

9) Emanuel Newton 25-8 (-) Previous Fight: Loss (UD) vs. Liam McGeary at Bellator 134, February 27th, 2015 Next Fight: Not Announced Before his recent loss to Liam McGeary, Emanuel Newton (25-8-1) was on the top of a lot of peoples list of talented fighter who weren’t in the UFC for a long time. Despite the loss, the former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champ still draws a lot of interest among fans who would like to see him become a part of the UFC’s roster and compete with the sports best.

8) Liam McGeary 10-0 (-) Previous Fight: Win (UD) vs. Emanuel Newton at at Bellator 134, February 27th, 2015 Next Fight: Not Announced This undefeated (10-0) English fighter surprised the MMA world when he upset Emanuel Newton for Bellators 205 strap by defeating him in an exciting 5 round contest. While a few more fights could sky rocket him right to the top of this list, his 9 finishes (5 KO/TKO’S, 4 SUBS) has more than earned his spot in the top ten of this list.

7) Marlon Moraes 14-4 (-) Previous Fight: Win (UD) vs. Josh Hill at WSOF 18, Febuary 12th, 2015 Next Fight: vs. Sheymon Da Silva Moraes at WSOF 22, August 1st, 2015 Moraes (14-4) has been hot lately, he’s on a 9 fight win streak (3 of which came via first round finishes) and is currently the WSOF bantamweight champion. The 26 year old is coming off a win vs. formerly undefeated fighter Josh Hill on February 12th of this year and has looked increasingly better each time we see him compete.

6) Will Brooks 16-1 (-) Previous Fight: Win (UD) vs. Dave Jensen at Bellator 136, April 10th, 2015 Next Fight: Not Announced Will Brooks is the owner of the biggest jump in the rankings from last month as he had a convincing win over Dave Jensen at Bellator 136. He has been improving each fight, and continues to impress with each performance. He may very well hold on to Bellators 155 pound strap for as long as he’s signed with the organization.

5) Justin Gaethje 14-0 (-) Previous Fight: Win (TKO) vs. Luis Palomino at WSOF 19, March 28th, 2015 Next Fight: Not Announced Nobody can say this guy doesn’t put on a show for the fans, as Gaethje defended his WSOF lightweight strap once again in a potential FOTY candidate against Luis Palmomino at WSOF 19 last month. This slugger with no fear showed some vicious strikes with an iron jaw to back it up. With a win against former UFC standout Melvin Guillard already under his belt, Gaethje will be looking for an opportunity to fight the sports best in his near future.

4) Bibiano Fernandes 17-3 (-) Previous Fight: Win (SUB) vs. Dae Hwan Kim at ONE FC 23 – Warrior’s Way, December 5th, 2014 Next Fight: Not Announced Fernandes (17-3) is the former Dream champion as well as currently the ONE championship bantamweight champ. He’s been on a 9 fight win streak which included 4 finishes. One of his three losses came to future UFC HOFer Urijah Faber back in 2006 with King of the Cage. His latest title defense, which came against Dae Hwan Kim via 2nd round Submission, solidified himself as one of the top lighter weight fighters outside the UFC’s ranks.

3) Mamed Khalidov 30-4 (-) Previous Fight: Win (UD) vs. Brett Cooper at KSW 29, December 6th, 2014 Next Fight: Not Announced This Polish fighter has been dominating KSW for a long time, as he;s won 10 straight with the organization. Khadilov (30-4) holds impressive wins over high level mixed martial artists such as Melvin Manhoef and Kendall Grove. Unfortunately, the 34 year old’s time to compete in the UFC may be running out as his biggest opportunity passed him by when the worlds elite MMA organization came to Poland at the beginning of this month.

2) Ben “Funky” Askren 14-0 1NC (-1) Previous Fight: No Contest vs. Luis Santos (61-9-1) at ONE Championship 26, April 24th, 2015 Next Fight: Not Announced The ONE Championship champ has dropped from #1 on this list. While keeping his undefeated record in tact due to an eye poke vs. Luis Santos in April, Askren looked very beatable and was losing the fight up until the doctor stoppage. The rematch vs. Santos will be one to watch

1) Vitaly Minakov 14-0 (+1) Previous Fight: Win (UD) vs. Cheick Kongo at Bellator 115, April 4th, 2014 Next Fight: Not Announced This undefeated (14-0) Russian heavyweight is Bellators current champion who’s most recent title defense came against former UFC fighter Cheick Kongo. His 12 finishes (8 KO/TKO’s, 4 SUB’s) is exactly the kind of excitement and skill that the UFC’s heavyweight division desperately needs. He is our new #1 non-UFC fighter, as Askren fell a spot from his because of his last fight vs. Luis Santos.

We would love to hear your opinion about our list, so please tweet to us at @MMAlatestnws, or at me directly at @IainMMac to let us know who we left off, who should be on next time, and who doesn’t deserve to be on our list!

After losing his Bellator debut to talented Irish prospect, James Gallagher at Bellator 158 – Daley vs. Lima. There was some potential for self-loathing. A near 17 months on, and after making a re-overture to Bellator MMA President: Mr. Coker, it would seem as if Michael ‘GIP’ Cutting now has that drive to fight again.

@ScottCoker@BellatorMMA give me another chance everyone deserve to have the chance to put things right and make mistakes right let's get a contract together in 2018 I'll be ready my first fight back me vs pretty boy let's go to work 🇬🇧vs 🇺🇸

Speaking with MMA Latest, Michael details the drive behind his intent for that return.

“My missus has stood by me through it all and has pushed me to fight for what I want. At times I was going to leave it all behind, she taught me that it’s better to try and fail then to not try at all. If I don’t try I’ll have already failed. Win or lose she has my back and she’s with me for me, she cooks all my meals – pushing me to train. So I thank her for all her support and hope she knows how much I appreciate and love her. The last year has taught me so much, good and bad. I’ve realized that if I want it that bad, I’ve got to fight for it and I need to do it now. Let’s face it, fighting is what I know. So Michael ‘GIP’ Cutting is coming back stronger and better than ever. I was fighting at 50% of my skill-set and just having too much fun; now don’t get me wrong – I’ll still have fun but Nothing and Nobody will get in my way this time. I’ve let too much stop me from getting my dreams and my goals in the past and it has cost me so much; well no more, that’s for sure! 2018 is my year and I’m coming back for the wins ‘kill or be killed’ this time! I’m doing this for me, my girlfriend and my three children in hoping one day I can give them the life I dream of. Everyone deserves a second chance – so where’s mine; I’m waiting!”

“My aim is to get to the UFC one day! The determination is real and I don’t care who I have to fight or how many fights it takes; I will get there! I will be making weight at every fight after working hard and continuing to do so; my game plan is different; my thought process has changed! I’m a different person. I move, think and train differently to others! My first goal after I’ve made weight and won my fight in May 2018 [return fight at Featherweight; previously Featherweight & Bantamweight], I’m looking to get on the Bellator MMA roster at 145; under (exclusive) contract with that promotion!”

Human resources can run thin sometimes; that’s true with the mental capacity’s ability to endure; process; then manage all personal distractions and demons that come into our life from outside or inside sources. The focus on one’s career as well as persisting personal unhappiness – it raises ”what is the point!’. It would seem as if Michael’s love & passion for MMA; the reason he got into Martial Arts & MMA will be the beacon for personal achievement; a beacon for fulfillment; a beacon for happiness, along with his family’s love & support to carry that motivation going forth.

“Fighting is what I do, it’s in my blood and since the first day I witnessed guys like Royce Gracie, Anderson Silva, and B.J Penn perform MMA and the technique behind it all”, Michael tells MMA Latest.

“I knew it was something I had to do. And now honestly, I couldn’t see myself doing anything else! jujitsu and MMA saved me from being like the other kids from my town: doing nothing and going nowhere in life. I didn’t want that for me. I became a black belt in 2 years of training at jujitsu under my instructor a good friend, Michael Magary. I’m now a 2-time jujitsu world champion!”

So with Michael placing his marker tentatively, but meaningfully down on the 2018 MMA calendar – what mat, and what frames would Michael desire to show his art, and newfound regime at/against? We’ve already viewed the re-overture to Scott Coker via a tweet, and Michael’s May 2018 debut stated above. Let’s potentially dial in further to the canvas Michael would like to showcase his art for.

“I’m determined now more than ever to get back into the cage and choke the first neck I can. I’m back, trust me! Anthony ‘pretty boy’ Taylor called me out a year ago, calling me a ‘bum’ making it personal – so now I want his neck or any limbs. let’s make this fight happen Bellator MMA. He will be my first fight back in that Bellator cage and he will be my first win at putting everything right and making a big comeback.”

Wishful thinking or intents of a man who knows he will get what he wants? They say “if you work hard enough and believe enough, you’ll achieve anything”. We’ve witnessed foundation to such statements coming to fruition in MMA before. Conor McGregor is what some would call ‘special’, or maybe he’s a man who desired & Aspired. That said, Scott Coker will be the determining factor towards giving the green light towards Cutting stepping into the Bellator MMA cage; unless Bellator MMA work alongside a third party promotion, such as ATAK Promotions like a previous London Bellator MMA Event. Is a tweet enough, or will Cutting have to earn his spot on the full-time Bellator MMA roster? It would seem as if Cutting has the desire to earn his spot if must, but you need a platform to progress up those levels.

Cutting has had few trying to blacklist him from U.K MMA cards. The MMA world in the U.K is a small one. It’s hard to break into that international MMA scene, and even more tougher to break out onto the North American MMA scene from the U.K. Conor McGregor said it best when he coached Season 22 of the Ultimate Fighter to his European Team (paraphrasing) “you guys have had the harder road than those in the other locker room”.

Michael’s experience and abilities alone should be enough to secure a spot on many various MMA European events. Can Micheal push through the stone wall that certain individuals have placed in front of him? Will Michael get that opportunity? He has the credentials – having already showcased his abilities on the BAMMA and Bellator MMA canvases.

Some would be happy enough with that achievement alone. Micheal isn’t done achieving and won’t be kept down, no matter what. That should be music to any regional/second tier promoters ears. You want a reliable guy who you know has an unnerved desire to make it to the top. Michael ticks the skill/desire/reliable boxes to make a Champion for any region second-tier promotion. Will Micheal be granted his wishes; will he be given a chance by Bellator MMA President: Scott Coker? Will Michael attain his goals for 2018? We can’t answer those questions, but i ask you to keep an eye out and show support to a family man trying to provide a better life for his family, with the only thing he knows how to, and that is through his passion.

After a torrid 2016; an inactive 2017 – What will Mike Cutting title 2018?

Rany Saadeh pleased with the opportunities ACB brings, promises a finish in his debut on Saturday

The BAMMA Flyweight belt was ruled for years by none other than Rany Saadeh, During his reign as champion he successfully defended the belt on two occasions. His dominance over the division saw him go undefeated in BAMMA and without a loss since 2012. Following the expiration of his contract, Rany vacated his BAMMA belt to explore new challenges.

He has now signed with ACB and is set to make his debut in only a matter of days at ACB 74 in Austria where he will take on Darren Mima. In a recent catch up with Rany, he explained his reasoning behind joining ACB and his goals in the promotion.

“ACB is the fastest growing organization in MMA. They’ve promised me an active career with events all over the world and a tempting bonus structure. It was just what I was looking for. I’ve looked into the competition and I can honestly say that the competition at flyweight is just as good, if not even better than in the UFC. Being the ACB title holder would make me a legit world champion.”

Ahead of his bout with Mima, we are set to see some new stuff from Saadeh as he claims to have changed up his style after a solid camp for this fight, guaranteeing us a surprise.

“I didn’t need to change anything for him but my style changed in general since my last fight. I’ve had an excellent camp with high-level training partners and coaches. I’m very grateful for my coaches who have put hours of private work into me this year. Especially with my new boxing coach Luciano Robledo, I can guarantee a surprise.”

The confidence is evident as he tells me how he sees the fight going. Promising his well-rounded arsenal of both strikes and grappling are worthy of bonuses, something he’d be very keen on considering the set-up in ACB.

“I will not just completely dominate but also finish.” He began, “I can imagine this fight being a wild brawl and dropping my opponent. Also on the ground, I have some slick submissions that are bonus-worthy.”

Having been successful in BAMMA, Rany is striving for more glory as plans on taking home the ACB title becoming the first Western European to do so.

“Of course!” he says with determination in his voice, “I’m coming into ACB as a world champion and the #1 ranked flyweight in Western Europe. After winning this fight, the title fight is right there”

It’s now been over a year since we’ve seen, “Prince” enter the cage. A decision voluntarily made by the German as he adjusted his game.

“It was mid last year when I had started to adjust my game. These changes take time and as the wished competition wasn’t there, I decided to take some time off fighting to prepare for a bigger challenge.”

Now having departed ways with BAMMA, the British promotion now has a new champion in Daniel Barez. Unfortunately for Rany, his reasons for leaving was the lack of competition has beaten everyone put in front of him with money being an issue that stepped in the way too. Despite any negativity derived from his departure, he does not rule out a return to the promotion where he was once Flyweight king.

“The competition in Europe just got very thin. With five fights in BAMMA, I somehow wasn’t very impressed with the opportunities left. Neither I got the fights, nor the purse that I needed to take my career further. After two title defenses, it felt like I was standing still which isn’t just BAMMA’s fault. Altogether, they are a great promotion and I wouldn’t exclude a return.”

When the UFC announced they would have the best flyweights from around the world enter the TUF house with a shot at the belt going to the winner. Many would have thought Rany Saadeh would have been up there. The season had champions from all over the world but no one from BAMMA, something strange considering the number of champions they signed in the past year from the promotion.

In an unfortunate circumstance for Saadeh, it was not his fault he wasn’t in the house as the UFC did come knocking but BAMMA just weren’t letting their champ go. Despite this situation, there is no bad blood anymore as Saadeh has moved on with things now.

“The UFC was definitely interested in putting me on the show and it is not true that BAMMA wasn’t asked. They were asked but didn’t want to be part of it. Without their permission, I wasn’t able to take part in the TUF. But I’m not mad at that anymore, I feel like it will make better opportunities possible.”

Having missed out on a possible UFC opportunity before, it isn’t on his mind anymore as he remains pleased with his life and is mainly looking to support his family in the future.

“I really don’t care, I’m set for the next few fights. All I want now is a decent living from fighting and provide for my family in the near future. ACB is not just giving me the chance to reach that goal but also giving me the challenges that I need. So far, I’m a very happy person”

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Today’s MMA news round-up

Today has been a pretty busy day when it comes to MMA news. We’ve had it all today from new champions to commissioners being slapped to fighters being flagged by USADA. It’s been hectic to say the least so here are the highlights of today’s news.

1. Conor McGregor causes havoc at Bellator 187

Yes, that’s correct, Conor McGregor at Bellator. Following the win of his teammate and friend Charlie Ward at Bellator 187 the UFC Lightweight Champion entered the cage to celebrate with Ward, however, their celebrations did not go to plan. Referee Marc Goddard wasn’t pleased with this in the slightest and tried get McGregor out. This didn’t go down too well as McGregor confronted the referee who initially pushed him. See the video here:

Earlier today it was confirmed by MMA Fighting that Bellator would crown a new Heavyweight champions following a report from MMA Junkie. There is no official dates yet, however, they do hope to start on January 20th and crown a new champion by the end of the year. There are some big names bidding to become the new champion, they are:

3. Anderson Silva flagged by USADA for potential doping violation, out of UFC Shanghai Main Event

Former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva failed a USADA doping test and was pulled from the UFC Shanghai Main Event. The sample was collected from an out of competition test on October 26th. This is now his second time failing a doping test. Last time he was hit with a one year suspension and a heavy fine. No more information on the matter has been made available yet in relation to suspension.

USADA had a field day today in terms of fighters testing positive for doping. Grant Dawson, who has yet to even get a date for his debut was flagged for a sample collected on October 18th. The 23 year old was signed after impressing on Dana White’s contender series where he scored a second round submission on Adrian Diaz.

Featherweight Champion Martin Nguyen stepped up to Lightweight to clash with title holder Eduard Folayang in effort of making history. Many ruled Nguyen out but he silenced all critics when viciously knocked out Folayang to take home another title. See the knockout here: Credit to @Jolassanda for the video.

Things were running smoothly today at the UFC Norfolk weigh ins until Matthew Lopez stepped up to the scales for his bout with Rafael Assuncao. He weighed in 2.5lbs over for his bout. The fight will go ahead, however, Lopez will lose 20% of his purse. Both Pettis and Poirier successfully made weight for their Main Event fight tomorrow night.

7. One new BAMMA champion while Lahore defends his belt in style

Despite some streaming troubles for the first two fights, BAMMA finally got one up in time for fans to see the final 3 fights. In the World Flyweight Title fight, Andy “Taz” Young fell lost his belt to Spaniard Daniel Barez via Majority Decision, After being docked a point in the opening round Barez came back strong to take home the World Title.

In the Main Event of the evening then, the anticipated match up between Alex Lahore and Richard Kiely went down. There was a lot of hype surrounding this one in the build up to the fight but it went as planned for Lahore. The champion pressured for a takedown in the first until finally succeeding, following some work on the mat it looked as if Kiely was about to gain some advantage on top. Only for Lahore to lock in a Kneebar and finish off the fight retaining his belt.

The Cage Warriors Belgium card had an incredible addition today as they announced via newsletter that Karl Amoussou will defend his belt against Dominique Steele in the Main Event. The fight for the Vacant Heavyweight Championship was then demoted to co-main with a change in opponents for Mauro Cerilli. Dutchman Nills van Noord stepped up to face the Italian after Light Heavyweight Champion Karl Moore was forced off the card due to injury. This dampened his hopes of becoming the first Cage Warriors two division champion since Conor McGregor.